Success Story: Target

Location: 
Nationwide
Line of Business: 
Major U.S. retailer carrying a broad range of durable and non-durable goods, such as groceries, health and beauty aids, cleaning supplies and other household products.
Start Date: 
2013
Why the company uses How2Recycle labels: 

Target’s public sustainability commitments include a pledge to make it easy for people “to lead a more sustainable lifestyle by providing the right information.” The How2Recycle label helps Target give consumers clear, on-package recycling instructions and encourage participation in recycling programs.

Key Benefits: 
  • Provides a tangible way to put Target’s sustainability commitments into practice.
  • Helps guide internal decisions about packaging material choices and design.
  • Lends visibility to Target’s line of sustainable products.
  • Helps expand Target’s goal of using resources responsibly and eliminating waste to their customers, as How2Recycle labeled packages are more likely to be properly recycled.
Key Learnings: 
  • Tying the implementation of the How2Recycle label to company strategies helps maintain focus and get buy-in.
  • Collaboration from internal partners is key. Identify, involve and acknowledge internal leaders.
  • The best time to incorporate the How2Recycle label into a brand is during the design planning phase.